Where Pope Francis stands

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, eschewed the trappings of his office when he was Argentina's cardinal. He is seen here (second from the left) traveling on the subway in Buenos Aires in 2008. AP Photo/Pablo Leguizamon

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone takes up in Tuesday’s Open Forum the public’s fascination with which political camp the newly elected Pope Francis aligns.

The new pope seeks to underscore the church’s commitment to the poor by choosing the name of Francis, the early church leader known for his compassion for the poor and concern for nature. But where is the the pope’s political home? Does he have one? As the archbishop writes, “Is he left or right?”

Read the archbishop’s forum piece here. Share your views by submitting a Letter to the Editor through our online form for possible publication in The Chronicle.